Container ejecting means



O Umted States Patent 1 13,547,303

[ 72] Inventors Carmen T. Mascia. [56] References Cited Weswheslehandl D l m UNITED STATES PATENTS A I N 5:32; Bagg 2,207,520 7/1940 Rhody 206/56 a N 12 1968 2,335,016 11/1943 Lorenzen m1 220/22 I 1 o l97o 2,426,883 9/1947 Kartyshai 229/15X [45] Paemed 3 139 229 6/1964 1) P 1 220 22x 73 A nee Continental Can Com any Inc e asqua e l 1 New York N Y p 3,362,530 1/1968 Johnson 206/65 a corporation New York 3,420,362 1/1969 K1e1ngers,Jr 206/45. 14

Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair Assistant Examiner-James R. Garrett Attorneys- Fred P. Kostka, Joseph E. Kerwin and William A.

Dittmann [54] CONTAINER EJECTING MEANS M 1 Claim 4 Drawing Figs ABSTRACT: The disclosure relates to removable partitioning [52] U.S. Cl 220/22; inserts for containers. The partitioning inserts are of one-piece 206/56, 229/15, 229/42 construction and are each formed as a quadrant of the volume [51 1 Int. Cl. B6511 1/24 of the container including a base, and two sidewalls connected [50] Field ofSearch 220/22, 20;

along the lower edges to the base. A top wall ishingedly connected to one of the sidewalls.

sQsmlaos PATENTEU DEC] 5 I970 IN VENTORS RICHARD B. BAGGULE Y A CARMEN r MASCIA W A ATT' Y.

CONTAINER EJECTING MEANS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to partitioning inserts for containers and more particularly to a partitioning insert which serves to facilitate the removal of tightly packed elongated objects packaged in the container.

As is well known, elongated objects, such as cigarettes, candy sticks and the like, are difficult to remove singly from canisters or containers without crushing or emptying a number at one time. Prior effects to provide structures for facilitating the removal of the cigarettes from'the containers have resulted in complex and expensive structures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By the present invention, it is proposed to provide container partitioning inserts which are of simple construction and economical to manufacture.

The partitioning inserts of the present invention each comprise generally a base shaped as a quadrant of the cross section area of the container. A pair of connected side panels extend upwardly from the base and a cover is hingedly connected to the upper edge of one of the panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container partitioning inserts of the present invention with the container in which the inserts are used illustrated in phantom.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the partitioning inserts shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the inserts.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the inserts.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a partitioning arrangement inserted in a container 11 which may have a bottle and a removable top cover. The container 11 may be cylindrical and of the type which is used to pack elongated objects, such as cigarettes and the like. Cigarettes are generally tightly packed and difficult to remove from the container without spilling a number. This problem is particularly prevalent when the cigarettes are completely disposed below the top of the container after the cover or the like is removed.

To overcome the problem of removal, the partitioning arrangement 10 is formed to provide a plurality of partitioning inserts 12, each of which is adapted to support a number of the cigarettes (not shown).

The partitioning inserts 12 are each of substantially identical structures and are made from a suitable light weight but somewhat rigid material, such as cardboard, plastic or the like. As shown, the insert 12 is made from a light weight thermoplastic material, such as polypropylene or the like and may be formed by blanking from a sheet or by injection molding.

Each insert 12 includes a base 13 which, in the circular container 11, is a quadrant. Extending upwardly from one of the radial edges of the quadrant base 13 is a first side panel 14. A second side panel 16 is also attached to other quadrant radial edge and integrally joined with the first side panel 14 along the edge 17 lying on the axial center of the quadrant 13.

A top panel 18 is hingedly connected as by a score line to the upper edge of the side panel 14.'The top panel is also shaped as a quadrant similar to the base 13. The other radial edge 19 overlies the upper free edge 20 of the side panel 16.

To facilitate the upward hinging of the cover 18, the outer edge thereof adjacent the side panel 16 and the upper corner may each be formed with quarter-circle cut outs 21 and 22 to accommodate a forefinger and thumb so that the cover 18 may be grasped and pulled upwardly as shown in FIG. 1.

It is to be noted that the panels 16 and panels l8 of adjacent inserts l2 lie in abutting back to back relationship. Thus, the inserts utilize a minimum amount of storage space within the container. Moreover the individual inserts 12 may be separately removed without disturbing the inserts remaining in the container. Also, the inserts may easily be reinserted without having to rearrange the cigarettes remaining in the container.

We claim:

1. A removable partitioning arrangement for a cylindrical container of circular cross section, said partitioning arrange ment comprising a plurality of inserts, said inserts each being made as a one-piece unitary structure and including a base shaped as a quadrant of the circular cross section of the container, an upright first side panel joined along one edge of said base, a second side panel integrally connected along the vertical edge of said first panel and forming a substantially right angular corner therewith, and a top shaped substantially as a quadrant of the circular cross section of the container, said top being hingedly connected along the upper edge of said first panel and the other edge of said top disposed adjacent to and detached from the upper edge of said second panel, said top along the detached edge thereof and said second panel adjacent to said detached edge being formed with complementary cutouts which lie adjacent the periphery of said insert for accommodating a finger therein for lifting said top about said hinge connection. 

